Zzips! Timely Tips!

Do you dislike MESSY FRUIT dropping from your trees? You can safely spray Florel Brand Growth Regulator before the fruits set to reduce or eliminate fruit production on ornamental shrubs and trees. Follow specific directions to use on: Apple, Crabapple, Carob, Cottonwood, Elm, Flowering Pear, Flowering Plum, Horsechestnut (Buckeye), Oak, Olive, Pine, Sour Orange, Sweetgum, Sycamore and others. Dilute this concentrate and apply to trees not under stress, when rain is not due for 24 hours, during the mid to full bloom stage, prior to fruit set. Timing is important so please follow the detailed directions on the container for your plant.

Dust off those pots for planting! To remove SALT DEPOSITS from the inside of clay or ceramic pots spray on a mixture of equal parts of white vinegar, rubbing alcohol and water. Scrub with a non-metal brush, rinse and dry pots before planting.

Would you like to protect your manicure while you work in the garden? Rub a bar of soap under your fingernails to get a protective barrier that will rinse off when your work is done.

Lay a yardstick next to your rake, broom or hoe and mark the inches on them with a waterproof marker. Then when you need to MEASURE a pot or space plants you will have measuring tools at your fingertips.

Make a Twine Pot! Keep a ball of twine handy and stop it from rolling away when you tug on it by putting it in an inverted clay pot. Pull the end through the drainage hole to grab it more easily.

Do you have trouble remembering the names of the perennials you planted? Put the names on flat rocks with a waterproof marker and place them near the bases of your plants. It will help you identify the small sprouts when they pop up this season, in case you forgot where you planted them. If you like creativity, paint the rocks and seal them with polyurethane. What a great learning project for the kids!

PACK IT UP! Pack a plastic tool box or file box with a handle to keep your garden gadgets together and ready when you need them: garden gloves, small trowel, pruners, clippers, knee cushion, twist ties, rags and identification tags from plants. Zergott’s Garden Center can supply you with everything you need, including the plants!